2021 Portage Ceramic Awards

The finalists for the 2021 Portage Ceramic Awards have been announced, with a shortlist reflecting the creativity and ingenuity of Aotearoa’s top artists working with clay.

Over 33 works by 30 ceramicists are up for this year’s award, showcasing the diversity of Aotearoa’s contemporary ceramic practice.

Open to all New Zealand artists working with clay, the Portage Ceramic Awards, organised by Te Uru and now in its 21st year, is Aotearoa’s premier award recognising excellence in ceramic arts practice.

Once the winner is announced, Te Uru will open its annual Portage Ceramic Awards exhibition, with all works selected as finalists on show to the public for the first time.

The competition was not able to be held in 2020, for the first time in the award’s history, due to Covid restrictions. In lieu of the awards, Te Uru held a retrospective exhibition of previous winners’ work. For the 2021 award, entries were open to artists for all works created during 2020 and 2021 that had not yet been exhibited.

This year, the finalists and winner have been selected by two-time Premier Award winner Raewyn Atkinson, marking only the second time in the award’s history that a New Zealander has been in the role of judge.

“It was very interesting to be 'on the other side' as a judge. It was not something I ever expected to do, but I saw it as a way to give back to the Portage, an award that had benefited me so much. I knew that it would be challenging but had not anticipated quite how enriching the task would be. It was an education to have virtual access to studios across the length of Aotearoa and to see current trends,” said Raewyn.

The finalists embrace a wide range of media, including clay, stoneware, and terracotta, with a range of glazes, stains and firing techniques, as well as works that incorporate photography, videography, and mixed media elements, from shells to stones to electronics.

“It was a challenge to be called on to select from a wide range of divergent styles,” said Raewyn. “Despite this, I think it is a good thing that there are no categories, leaving the work free of 'pigeon-holing.”

The winners will be announced on December 3, with the exhibition of works open to the public from December 4 until February 27, 2022, subject to Covid alert levels. A postawards talk with the judge will take place on Saturday, December 4 at 11am, either in the gallery or online. Over the coming summer, art lovers are welcome to visit Te Uru for the annual showcase and a chance to see the works of the finalists and winner. For more information, visit teuru.org. nz

Portage judge, Raewyn Atkinson: “It was a challenge.” In the shadow of the forest, white clay, stains and glaze, by Louise Rive. Photo by Haruhiko Sameshima/Studio La Gonda.

Water issues continue to be prominent

The Government’s three waters proposal is meeting considerable opposition from Local Government, and to be frank some of the criticism is pretty overblown.

My personal view is that the proposal merits serious consideration. In too many parts of the country the water infrastructure is appalling. People have died from poisoning. Wellington having regular outflows of sewerage from antiquated infrastructure that has not been maintained properly is a further example of how bad things can get. And historically Auckland is not much better. Too many of our beaches are polluted and closed. In too many areas Local Government has not provided clean water or polluted the local environment. The proposal will unlock funding that is urgently needed and I believe it should be given serious consideration. There is concern at the loss of democratic control over water assets. In Auckland Watercare

already provides restrictions on democratic control. And the good people of Waima who are facing the prospect of an industrial plant being constructed on the ridge of a valley full of Kauri would think that the concept of democratic control is somewhat illusory. The Waitākere Ranges Local Board Future West team are (left to With the targeted water right) Mark Allen, Saffron Toms, Sandra Coney and Greg Presland. quality rate there has been some good work happening. Locally the rate has funded infrastructure investigation on Laingholm, Titirangi and Wood Bay beaches. Thanks to assistance from enthusiastic locals in Laingholm the beach’s long term warning has been lifted. Testing has recently been conducted on Titirangi Beach and it should also be reopening soon. Our country should have goals that water everywhere is drinkable and beaches everywhere are swimmable. Despite some commentary to the contrary these are not radical proposals.

– Greg Presland

Making a Difference

In the November Art and About column I waxed eloquent about a challenging but somehow hopeful session that was live-streamed as part of the Going West Festival; two survivors of domestic abuse and their fierce advocate, Jackie Clark under the baton of Carole Hirschfeld. That confronting, no-holds-barred discussion; desperate stories, much swearing, yet so inspiring, is still available on the Going West website and the book, Her Story, is available in bookshops.

I mention it again because I want to connect it to, and celebrate, an arts event and an organisation that, for 25 years, does ‘give a damn’. NZ Sculpture OnShore, the country’s largest outdoor sculpture exhibition, has gone online and its organisers are committed to raising $100,000 for Women’s Refuges. As with so many loved and familiar events, lockdown has scuppered plans to install at the exhibition’s well-known venue of O Peretu/Fort Takapuna. So, in the spirit of these strange times, you are invited to visit their new, purpose-built online platform to view and/or purchase the more than 200 spectacular sculptural works. The price range is such that there are affordable, as well as ‘investment,’ pieces.

In some ways the advent of an online exhibition makes geographic location of little importance. However, there are some Westie artists to look out for:

Julie Moselen: Continuum Amplus. A celebration of unity and the connection to all.

Rebecca Rose: Golden Orb. When the world seems beset with one crisis after another, this sculpture is a reminder that the sun will still rise and fall.

Keum Sun Lee and Sang-Sool Shim: The Garden of Heaven 1 and 2.

Referencing both 10th and 15th century techniques of Korean pottery layered with a contemporary New Zealand influence.

Alongside the online exhibition, www.nzsculptureonshore.co.nz also calls us to support women and children fleeing domestic violence by donating to their Women’s Refuge Give-a-Little campaign. What I particularly love is that donations this year will go towards ‘Kids in the Middle’, an initiative to create safe, comforting and creative spaces for children staying in each of the Refuge’s 40 safe houses.

Kids in the Middle was designed following a first of its kind research report into what children need to feel safe and secure after experiencing family violence. As part of the research, Women’s Refuge family violence specialists talked to 19 children who had stayed at safe houses and asked them what could be done to make it better

for kids in the future. These children said they needed fun, cosy, warm, interactive, relaxing, safe spaces to share with other children. Things like pillows, cushions of differing sizes and shapes, throws, blankets, shaggy rugs, colourful mats, curtains, night lights, fairy lights, lamps, comfortable child-sized chairs and couches, snug beanbags, tactile and sensory toys for relaxation, and ‘stuff’ that can be used by groups of children together. The impact of the global Paintings by Teuane Tibbo (left) and Salome Tanuvasa (right) in pandemic has burdened Stars Start Falling. Photo by Sam Hartnett, courtesy Te Uru. communities in so many ways. More New Zealand women and children than ever before are fleeing from dangerous situations. There are few things more important than helping children feel safe and secure after experiencing trauma. Kids in the Middle says it all.

One of the surprises for me recently was that, despite the wider confusion about mask-wearing, distancing and the possible future vaccine passports, Te Uru Waitakere Contemporary Gallery grabbed the moment and opened its doors.

Talking to Director Andrew Clifford, I could hear the energy and excitement in his voice. On page 9 you can read news of this years Portage Ceramics Awards but I am going to concentrate on another important exhibition which will be open over Christmas and into the New Year. Stars Start Falling brings together existing paintings by Teuane Tibbo, and newly commissioned works by Ani O’Neill and Salome Tanuvasa. It is possibly a cliché, but irresistible, to say that Teuane Tibbo is the Grandma Moses of the New Zealand art scene. She was born in Sāmoa in 1895. In 1926 she moved to Fiji with her husband, Edward Tibbo, and in 1945 they settled in Auckland with their children. Teuane began painting at the age of 71 and quickly became a prominent figure in Auckland’s art scene. She was exhibited in galleries around Aotearoa and her work acquired into a number of public collections. Teuane died in 1984, aged 91. Since her death she has been included in a number of significant surveys of Pacific art. A lovely connection to Stars Start Falling is that in 2001 she was the subject of a retrospective Keep it in the Heart: The Paintings of Teuane Tibbo at Lopdell House Gallery (now Te Uru). It was a dream that the stars were falling that prompted Teuane to begin painting. She worked prolifically through the 1960s and ’70s,

Season ’s greetings

From your Local MPs

Hon Carmel Sepuloni

MP for Kelston Kelston Electorate Office 200C West Coast Road, Glen Eden 09 818 4131 kelston.eo@parliament.govt.nz /CarmelSepuloniLabour

Dr Deborah Russell

MP for New Lynn New Lynn Electorate Office 1885 Great North Rd, Avondale 09 820 6245 newlynnmp@parliament.govt.nz /deborahrusselllabour